Effective July 1, 2011, the South Carolina Manufacturer Responsibility and Consumer Convenience Information Technology Equipment Collection and Recovery Act, S.C. Code Ann. §§48-60-05 – 48-60-150, bans televisions, computers, computer monitors and printers from the solid waste system. To look for recycling options in your area, visit the E-cycle website here . Don’t forget to sanitize your computers, smartphones, copiers and other devices before you recycle them.
Business Card Strategies
Let me make this perfectly clear: your business card says a lot about you. When I open the desk drawer with my Rolodex and piles of rubber-banded cards, it’s like pulling open a drawer of memories. (It also reminds me that I need to scan them with my Fujitsu ScanSnap and save them with CardMinder.)
In some cultures, it is considered correct business politesse to hold the card presented to you with both hands, observe it, and comment, before putting it carefully in your wallet.
I have my own rules for business cards, to wit:
• Make sure someone can read your card easily without glasses or a magnifying glass (the “over age 40” rule).
• If you use your domain name in your email address, make sure you also have a web page with that domain name.
• Send two business cards to each client at the close of your case and ask them to refer you business.
• Whenever you give your card, give three (one for that person and two for friends).
• Use both sides of the card – include your practice areas on one side, a map to your office, or a piece of advice.
• Make it unique and easy to spot.
Making your card unique and easy to spot is tricky in the rather conservative field of lawyering. You want the impression you make to be favorable, so keep that in mind before you get too wild and crazy. And if inexpensive business cards are what you seek, the Internet is a good place to go. Try Vistaprint, but don’t forget to give your local supplier a chance to compete.
Choosing Software
“It’s what my friend who practices law uses.” That sounds like an innocuous sentence. And it can be, if it’s in reference to a credit card, or a copier. But if it’s the basis for purchasing case management or other law office software, it sets my teeth on edge. Why? Because you’re admitting that you really don’t know what to buy and you haven’t bothered to research it further.
Take a step back and think: how similar am I to that lawyer? Do we have the same level of tech expertise? Do we use the same hardware and software? Do we have the same type of practice? What about staff? Since this isn’t the television show “Fringe” and you don’t live in a parallel world, you are probably more different from one another than you are alike.
So how should you decide what to purchase? Research, expert advice, and testing. Case management or law office accounting software is mission critical to your practice and one of the most important decisions you’ll have to make as far as practice management goes.
Before you start researching, assess your current situation and your future needs.
• Do an inventory of the software and hardware you currently use.
• List the functions you need the software to perform (e.g. produce reports of case activity, remind me of due dates).
• Determine who will need access to the software and whether it will be in a support role or as a timekeeper or primary user. Before you buy, you should know who needs the software and why they need it.
• Turn to the Internet to see the options available.
• Peruse the tech overviews and compare the features using the Legal Technology Resource Center’s (LTRC) comparison charts.
• Refer to the 2011 Solo and Small Firm Legal Technology Guide by Sharon Nelson, John Simek, Michael Maschke.
• Refer to The Lawyer’s Guide to Practice Management Systems Software, Second Edition by Andy Adkins.
• Consult your bar association’s practice management advisor. (If your state doesn’t have one, you might want to talk to your bar leadership about hiring one.)
• Go to the web pages of the software products you like. Watch online videos on their sites and read faq’s.
• Contact the company or certified consultants in the software you think you are interested in. Ask specific questions. See if they will give you a free demonstration via the Web.
Once you’ve narrowed the products down, do testing for a month. Some products offer 30 days free, others offer a full refund if you cancel or return within 30 days. If you find something you like, remember that buying the software is just one piece of the puzzle. You need to budget for training, installation and customization by an expert as well. Otherwise, you can expect frustration in the short and long term.
Battery Boost
All smartphone users know one thing for certain: smartphone batteries don’t stay charged for long. Most feel lucky if they can get through a full 12 hour day before needing to charge their battery. I recently more than doubled the strength of my factory installed HTC Droid Incredible battery by purchasing a Seidio extended life battery.
I am now able to go 2 to 3 days without seeing the dreaded orange battery symbol. Here are my tips for better battery life, even without buying a new battery.
1. Don’t charge your battery before you need to. Drain as much life out of it as possible.
2. Charge your phone while it’s still turned on. Charge it at least two hours beyond when the battery indicator shows fully charged.
3. Unplug your phone from the charger and turn the phone off (yes, I said off). Plug it back into the charger. Look at your battery indicator light – most likely it will have turned orange or red, showing it can be charged further. Continue charging until green. Unplug, turn on, use and enjoy!
If you find that your phone simply will not stay charged long enough, don’t delay, buy a new battery. It’s worth it.
Time Management
Do you jump from one task to the next without ever finishing? You may want to try the Pomodoro Technique of getting work done. To begin, you’ll need a kitchen timer, a list of tasks and a pencil. Choose a task to be accomplished and set the Pomodoro to 25 minutes (the Pomodoro is the timer). Work on the task until the Pomodoro rings, then put a check on your task list. Take a five minute break and begin a new task with the timer running. Every 4 “Pomodoros” take a longer break (15-20 minutes). The technique was created in the 1980s by Francesco Cirillo. Cirillo originally used a kitchen timer shaped like a tomato (pomodoro in Italian), hence the name. To download the free book and forms, visit the Pomodoro Technique website.